Apparatus for drawing wire.



J. HERMAN.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB.I,19I6

Patented July 2, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET l.

J. HERMAN.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 19KB.

Patented July 2, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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J. HERMAN.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WLRE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1916.

Patented July 2, 1918.

L SHEET S-SHEET 3.

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J. HERMAN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

Patented July 2,1918,

1 U APPUCATION FILED FEB. 7, 1916.

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hi A l E,

JOSEPH HERMAN, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KEYSTONE STEEL WIRE 00M-PANY, OF SOUTH BAB'IONVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

intense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 7, 1916. Serial No. 76,710.

an apcombine with a drawing block a reel to receive the wire as it isdrawn, the reel and block being associated in such a manner that thewire will strip itself from the block onto the reel during the drawingprocess.

The invention has for a further object to improve the method of drawingwire, which consists in providing a block to receive the wire as itdrawn through a die, the drawn wire stripping itself from the block ontoa reel associated therewith, said reel adapted to be removed from theblock and inverted and during such removal and inversion of said reel toplace another into position in connection with said block, and to passthe drawn wire on the inverted reel again through the die and onto theblock, the same stripping itself as drawn onto said second reel,meansbeing provided on each reel capable of being operated when the reelhas been inverted to allowthe coil of drawn wire to strip itself fromthe reel and be received onto a truck or other suitable means fortransporting the same from the drawing frame.-

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section and "partlybroken away, showing a portion of a-wir'e drawing frame, block and reelsembodying my invention.

Fi 2 is a cross section as the same would appear if taken on the line 22of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section in plan as the same would appear if taken onthe line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. lis a vertical. cross section showing in detail the relation of adrawing block and a reel associated therewith, and an addi tional reeladapted to be moved into cooperative relation with said drawing blockwhen the reel associated therewith is inverted.

Fig. 5' is a planview of one of the reels.

Fig; 6 is a sectional detail showing an wire again from the block,

for the operator 1n strippmg the same for raising and a band clutchto-retard the rotative move ment of the reels when one is being movedfrom cooperative relation with the drawing block and the other is beingmoved into such relation therewith.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a part of a drawing frame showing a pluralityof drawing blocks and operating means therefor.

Like characters of reference denote cor responding parts throughout thefigures.

In the art of wire drawing, that is, the drawing of wire from steelrods, it has been the custom in substantially mills to rest a bundle ofrods against a suit-- able support, in some cases known as a flipper,the end of the bundle pointed and passed through a die and the endconnected to a block rotatably mounted on a wire drawing bench, saidbench having operatively connected thereto a large number of drawingblocks whereby the wire drawing process maybe carried on to a largeextent, a wire drawer being employed to handle one block, some timesmore than one. After the first drawing operation of reducing a bundie ofrods to a suitable gage, the operator must strip the drawn bundle fromthe block by lifting it off of the same and for all of the large afurther drawing operation this bundle of wire is placed on a reelremoved from the through a die and again connected to theblock and theblock rotated to further reduce the bundle of drawn wire to a differ.-ent gage. To remove the bundle ofdrawn it is necessary from the blockto'lift the bundle therefrom and if it is to be drawn to the sameprocess is carried on, that is, by placing the drawn bundle of wire on areel and again passing it through a die and onto the drawing block, andwhen the wire has been drawn to the desired gage the operator must stripthe bundle of wire from the block by lifting it therefrom and removingit to a truck or other conveying means.

By my improved apparatus I obviate the unnecessary labor on the part ofthe operator in lifting the bundles from the block when stripping thesame therefrom, the process of reducing the rods and subse a differentgage Y which power is transmitted from the driv-' quently the wire fromone gage to another being carried on without the operator handling thebundles at all, except to place the wire rods in position and thepointing of the rods and also the wire when attaching the same to theblock. By the use of my apparatus, one operator can do the work of twoor three operators and therefore the cost of drawing the wire is reducedto a minimum, which is of considerable advantage in yiew of the closemargin at which Wire is sold nowadays either as plain wire or vwhensubsequently woven into fence fabric.

Instead of the usual form of wire drawing bench, I construct what I terma wiredrawing frame which may be of any desired length and of a suitablewidth, the length and width of the frame being .determmed by the number.of sets of drawing blocks it is desired to mount on the frame, it beingunderstood that the drawing blocks are arranged in two rows throughoutthe length offthe frame. The frame comprises a plurality of verticallydisposed supports 1 located at opposite sides of the frame and .theverticallyxdisposed supports 1 located centrally of'the frame andequidistant from each other. Said frame further comprises thelongitudinally extending girders 2, of

which there may be as many as desired to give proper strength to theframe, and the transversely disposed channels 3 and 3 andthetrans'versely disposed angle iron beams 3 the channels 3 being themain transverse bracing channels of the frame and connected to thevertically disposed supports 1, and the channels 5 connect theoppositely disposed girders 2 intermediate the channels3- and also bracethe centrallydisposed vertical supports 1 and have secured theretothe'bearing blocks for the shafts through ing 1 shafts to the drawingblocks. The

angle iron beams 3 are connected to the opposite pairs of verticallydisposed supports 1 and serve as a mounting for the dies.

4: designates a driving shaft journaled in suitable boxings 5 mountedupon the channels 3 of the frame, and at spaced distances on .said'shaftare carried bevel gear wheels 6, only one of which is shown. Each bevelgear wheel 6 is connected with a member forming one of the complementaryparts of a friction clutch, the other of such parts designated 8 andbeing connected to a grooved sleeve 9 having a spline and grooveconnection with the shaft a whereby said sleeve and said part 8 of theclutch may be moved on the shaft so as to cause the part 8 to be movedinto friction clutch engaging relation with the part 7 or disconnectedtherefrom. The bevel gear wheel 6 meshes with a larger bevel gear 10.lVhen the clutch parts 7 and 8 are in engaged relation,

power may be transmitted from the shaft 4 through the gear wheels 6 and10 to a shaft 11 connected to a drawing block 13.

The drawing block 13 may be of any suitable construction, although Iprefer that construction which is shown in Fig. 4, said block having :1depending annular body 12. let designates reels, a pair of which areassociated with each drawing block 13, one of such reels cooperatingwith the drawing block to receive the drawn wire, and the other adaptedto contain a bundle of drawn wire, after the first drawing operation ofreducing the steel rods to wire, said wire leading from the second reelthrough the die onto the drawing block and reel operatively connectedthereto. Each pair of reels H is carried normally in superimposedrelation to each other on a shaft 15, each shafthaving a hub 16rotatably carried on a transversely disposed nonrotatable shaft 17. Eachshaft 17 is connected at its opposite ends to certain of the girders 2and each of said shafts pass through a vertical support 1. Each reel ismovable longitudinally on its shaft 15, in addition to being rotatablycarried thereon, and each reel when it is in operative relation with thedrawing block is supported by means which when operated will release thesame whereby it may move longitudinally on its shaft 15 to detach itfrom operative connection with the block 13, and allow the shaft 15 withits two reels to be rotated on the shaft 17. removing the reel inoperative relation with the drawing block therefrom into invertedposition and placing the lower reel into an inverted receiving positionand in operative relation with said drawing block.

The reels 14 comprise an annular skeleton frame composed of thelongitudinal bars 18 and the radially disposed bars 19 at one end, andthe radially disposed bars 20 at the opposite ends, connected to acentral hub Q0 the last mentioned radially disposed bars 20 extendingout beyond the circumferential surface of the reels formed by thelongitudinal bars 18 to provide a rest to receive the drawn wire as itstrips itself from the drawing block 18. At that end of each reel formedwith the radially disposed arms 19, is provided a bearing 21 for thereel, said bearing having a plate 22 disposed exteriorly of the reel andsaid bearing is also provided with an elongated sleeve 23 through whichthe shaft 15 is carried. (onnected to each sleeve 23 and rotatablycarried within each reel, is a frame 24-, said frame having handlegripping portions whereby the frame 24 may be oscillated within thereel, the oscillatory movement of the frame being determined by thedistance of the spacing between the radial bars 20. and as the frame 24:is oscillated it will in turn oscillate the sleeve 23 on the shaft 15and with it the plate 22, for purposes which will be explained.

In the position in which the drawing block 13 and the reels 14 are showninthe figures, one reel has been moved into position by telescoping oneend thereof into the drawing block 13, seeFig. 4, and the same lockedinto position, in a manner to be explained. In this position of thepartsa rod or drawn wire if passed through the die 26 may be secured to asuitable clamp .27, see Fig. 1, attached to a cable 28 secured at oneend to a longitudinal bar 18 of the reel. Rotation being imparted to theshaft 111 from the driving shaft 4 will cause the drawing block 13 torotate, and with it the reel in operative connection therewith, as shownin Fig. 4. This rotation of the draw ing block and reel will draw therod or drawn wire through the die 26, reducing said rod or drawn wire toa suitable gage and causing it to be wrapped around-the drawing block13, and as the drawn wire is received onto said block, it will stripitself from the block in the manner shown in Fig. 1, onto the reel 14,said drawn wire finally resting upon the extensions of the bar-s20 onthe reel arranged to receive the same. The dies 26 are suitablysupported from the angle bars 3 and when redrawing a "drawn wire it isunderstood other and different gage dies will be'used. j V e The meansfor holding a reel 14 in operative relation with a drawing block 13 inthe manner shown in the figures,

Fig. 4, comprise a lever 29, see Fig. 2, fulcrumed at 30 on the shaft17, said lever hav ing a portion 31 adapted to engage and bear 1 againstthe hub 20 of the reel 14 on one side of the shaft 15, to retain it inits elevated position shown in the figures and in operative relationwiththe drawing block 13. Operatively connected with the lever 29 is amember portion 31 of said lever,

being locatedupon the opposite side of the shaft 17, and said member 32is adapted to engageand bear against said hub 20 of the reel 14 upon theopposite side of the shaft 15. In other words, the part 31 of the leverand the member 32 act as bifurcations of the said'lever 29 andcotiperate in supporting the reel 14 in operative relation with thedrawing block 13. The lever 29 is connected with an operating arm or bar33, see Figs. 1 and 2, which said arm or bar at one end is provided witha member 34 with stepped cut-out portions 35, 36 and 37 of a plate 38.The arm or bar 33 is pivoted at 39 to the frame and the oppositeend ofsaid arm or bar is connected to a lever 40 pivoted at 41 to the frame;said lever particularly 32 which corresponds to that adapted to engageposition in which the lever 29 and the arm any wiredrawn onto saidblock' through its rotation and the rotation of the reel will stripitself onto said reel, the position of the arm or bar 33 being thatposition when the clutch parts 7 and 8 are in clutch engaged relation,allowing power to be transmitted from the driving shaft 4 through thebevel gear wheels 6 and 10 to the shaft 11, and in turn to the drawingblock 13 and the reel 14.

To release the reel 14 from the drawing block 13 to invert the positionof said reels shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the operator will move thelever 29 so asto move the portion 31 of said lever and the member 32from engagement with the hub 20" of the wheel 14. Such movement of thelever will move the member 34 of the arm or bar 33 from engagement withthe stepped portion 35 of the plate 38, permitting the reel 14 inoperative relation with the drawing block 13 to drop slightly on theshaft 15, and the release ofthe member 34 from the stepped portion 35 ofthe plate 38. will at the same time operate the grooved sleeve 9 toseparate the clutch part 8 from the clutch part 7 stopping the rota--tion of the shaft 11. To completely disengage the reel 14 from thedrawing block 13, theoperator will move the lever 29- so as to disengagethe member 34 of the arm or bar 33 and move it into locking relationwith the stepped portion 37 of the plate 38, such movement whilestopping the rotation ofthe shaft 11 connected with the drawing block,will also remove the portion 31 of the lever 29 and the member 32to aposition 7 which will permit the reel 14 to move out of engagement withthe drawing block 13, so that the operator may rotate the reels andtheshaft 15 on the shaft 17 and invert the positions of said is inoperative relation with the drawing block 13 is inverted, if some meanswere not provided for holding the drawn wire on the reel, it would stripitself therefrom, but to prevent this I provide theb-ars 43 pivotedtothe plate 22, said bars 43 adapted to have radial movement impartedthereto by the oscillation of the bearing 21 and said plate 22 so as toWithdraw said arms within the circumference defined by that end of thereel on which said arms are carried, or projected beyond thecircumference of that end of. the reel so as to form a shelf portion toreceive the roll of wire, the same then serving the same purpose as theextensions of the bars20 at theoppositeend of the reel. In the positionin which the reel is reels. When the reel which shown in Fig. 4,-beingthat position when the reel is in operative relation with the drawingblock, the arms 43 are withdrawn into substantially that position shownin iso Fig. 3, and just as soon as'the shaft 15 has been swung into aposition obliquely to the axis of the shaft '17, .in which position thereel isentirely removed from the drawing block 13, the operator willgrasp thehanc'li holds 25' on the frame 24 and oscillate said frame,which in turn will oscillate the sleeve 23 of the bearing 21 and with.said bearing 21theplate 22 to which the said bars 43 are pivotal'lyconnected, projecting said bars into the position shown in Fig. 5. "Saidbars 43 .are'guided in their movement. by the straps or yokes 44, bestseen in Fig; 1, which are secured to the longitudinal bars18 of thereel. lVith the bars el3'in their projected position, such as shown inFig. 5, shaft 15 may b'e completely turned around, inverting thepositions of the reels 14, placing in position and in operative relationwith the drawing block13 the empty reel, and with the reel having thedrawn wire thereon therebeneath. To secure 'theempty reel in operativerelation with the drawing block 13, the operator will actuate the lever29 to causetheportion 31 thereof and the member 32 connected therewithto bear against the hub 20 of the reel. and elevate it into operative'position, bein-g'that position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This operationofthe lever will also release the member 34 from the stepped portion 37,returning it to the stepped portion 35 of the plate 38 and at the sametime causing theclutch parts 7 and S to re'c'ngage and transmit powerfrom the driving shaft 4% to the shaft 11; It 1s understood that theoperator may actuate the lever 29' to release the member 3t from'thestepped portion 35 of the plate 38 al'l d ctiilse it to move into thestepped portion 36 of said plate, whereby the clutch parts? and 8 may bereleased to stop" the shaft 11, but this slight movement of the lever 29will not permit the reel to'be entirely disengaged from the drawingblock 13.

To retard and control the movement of the shaft '15'and' the reels 14:when said shaft is being turned around and the reels inverted, Iprovide'a friction brake, such as shown in "7, including the member4'5,the friction band {16 and the weighted leve1',et7 suitably connectedto operate said band a6. The member 45 is connected in a suitable mannertothe hub 16 of the shaft 15, see Figs; 2 and 7.

Assuming that the reels 14 are in operative relation witheach other andwith the drawing block 13, and the operator wishes to draw a steel rodto a suitable gage of wire, he will pass said rod over a guiding roller48, through the die 26 onto the drawing block 13, first pointing the rodand securing it to the clamp 27 connected with the reel 1 L. Theoperation of the'drawing block and the reel will draw the'wire andduring such drawing operation said drawn wire will strip itself from thedrawing block 13 onto the reel 141-. hen this operation has beencompleted, the operator will actuate the lever 29' in the mannerpreviously stated to release the reel 1st from the drawing block 13,rotating the shaft 15 with the reels thereon into a position obliquelyto the axis of the shaft 17, when he may actuate the frame 2-!- toproject the bars 43 into wire receiving position, so that when the reels11 have been inverted the drawn wire will rest on the extended endsofthe bars 43. The operator will also actuate the frame 21 of the emptyreel so as to withdraw the bars 13 connected to that reel, whereby whenthe reels have been completely inverted, said empty reel may be liftedinto engaging relation with the drawing block 13 and secured in suchposition. In this position of the reels. with the empty reel inoperative relation with the drawing block 13 and the other reelcontainingthe drawn wire thereon, and the operator wishes to again drawsaid wire to a diiferent gage, he will take the end of the wire, pass itthrough a guide if), up and over the guiding roller -13, through a die26 of a different gage to the one previously used, and cause it to beengaged by the clamp '27 on the empty reel. The parts be ing in'thisposition and power being imparted from the driving shaft 1 to the shaft11, the block 13 will rotate and with it the reel 1%, drawing the wirefrom the lowermost reel to the desired gage and onto the block 13 fromwhich it will strip itself onto the empty reel 14.

Assuming now that this operation has been completed. and the wire hasbeen drawn to the desired gage, upon again inverting the reels, placingthe empty reel into operative relation with the drawing block andplacing the reel with the drawn wire thereon into the lower position,with the bars 43 projected into their outward position, the operator mayby actuating the frame 24 withdraw the bars .43, allowing the drawnbundle of wire to strip itself from the reel and be received on a truckor other suitable support, to be transferred to a warehouse, galvanizingroom or other place. 1

From the foregoing description it is obvious that the drawing operationmay be carried on first with the rods and then with the subsequentbundles of drawn wire without the necessity of the operator handling thesame' What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, in combination, a wiredrawing block, means for rotating said block, a reel, means for placingsaid reel into operative relation with said block to rotate therewithand to receive the drawn Wire which strips itself from the block andonto the reel durravosae iug the drawing operation, and means forremoving the reel from said block and inverting the reel, to allow thebundle of drawn wire to be stripped therefrom.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a wiredrawing block, means for rotating said block, a reel support, a pair ofreels carried on said support, said support being invertible so as toplace first one reel and then the other into operative relation. withsaid block to rotate therewith and to receive the drawn wire whichstrips itself from the block and onto the reels during the drawingoperation, the inverting of the reels, allowing the bundles of drawnwire to be stripped from said reels.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a wiredrawing block, means for rotating said block, a reel, means for placingsaid reel into operative relation with said block to rotate therewithand to receive the drawn wire which strips itself from the block andonto the reel during the drawing operation, means for removing said reelfrom said Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

, bundle of block and inverting drawn wire to be removed there from, andmeans on said reel which is adapted to be contracted or expanded, whencontracted permitting an operative relation between said reel and saidblock, and when expanded forming a stop for the bundle of wire, andmeans for operating said contracting and expanding means.

4:. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a wiredrawing block having a depending annular body, means for rotating saidblock, a support, a shaft swingable on said support, a reel on oppositeends of said shaft and rotatably and slidably carried on said shaft,means for holding either of said reels in operative relation with saidblock to rotate therewith, and means on said reels adapted to act as astop for the bundle of wire when the reel is inverted, said lastmentioned means adapted to be retracted to permit the reels to be movedinto operative relation with, said block.

. JOSEPH HERMAN.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, JD, 0.

the same to allow the

